This invention relates to a method and apparatus for effecting an electrotherapeutic treatment on a living body, and more particularly, to the application of an iontophoretic treatment topically to the skin of a human body.
Direct current electrotherapeutic treatments have been employed in the past for their polar effects on ionized molecules, causing the ionized molecules to be driven through the skin, usually superficially. This phenomenon is known as iontophoresis, and it has been employed for the introduction of medicants, or even simply moisture, into the skin of a patient.
More specifically, some ions of zinc and copper can be employed in the treatment of some skin infections, and chlorine ions have been employed for the loosening of superficial scars. Further, vasodilating drugs can be used in rheumatic and peripheral vascular infections, and skin anesthesia can be produced by iontophoresis of local anesthetic drugs. It has been suggested that application of direct current to carefully selected areas of a living body can produce anesthetic effects (see Limoge, An Introduction To Electroanesthesia, 1975, University Park Press).
Further, F. Levitt in "Archives of Dermatology", Vol. 98 No. 5, November 1968, reports on pp. 505-507 the production of long term anhidrosis by iontophoretic treatment of the feet or hands. His test results indicate that the treatment inhibits perspiration where the electric current is applied.
Although the above-mentioned iontophoretic treatments have been found to be effective, they are also known to be accompanied by undesirable effects such as the occurrence of iontophoretic burns in the treated area as well as the formation of undesirable vesicles and bulla, and redness of the skin in the treated area. An apparatus and method for preventing these iontophoretic burns are disclosed in copending applications Ser. Nos. 806,393 filed June 13, 1977, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,164,226, and 940,777 filed Sept. 8, 1978, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,211,222. However, the apparatus and method disclosed in those applications have been found not to be adequately effective for preventing the formation of vesicles, bulla and redness of the skin in the treated area.
Accordingly, there has existed a need for a convenient and effective apparatus and method for preventing the formation of vesicles, bulla and redness of the skin in an area subjected to an iontophoretic treatment. As will become apparent from the following, the present invention satisfies that need.